The Dresden Dolls are an American musical duo from Boston, Massachusetts. F… Read Full Bio ↴The Dresden Dolls are an American musical duo from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 2001, the group consists of Amanda Palmer (vocals, piano, ukulele, toy piano, harmonica) and Brian Viglione (drums, percussion, guitar, vocals).

They describe their heavily art-damaged and theatrical style as "Brechtian punk cabaret", a phrase invented by Palmer because she was "terrified" that the press would invent a name that "would involve the word 'gothic'," and are part of an underground dark cabaret movement that started gaining momentum in the early 1990s.

Palmer accompanies her confessional story-songs with a thunderous and shimmering piano style that rests on the shoulders of Jerry Lee Lewis and Nina Simone. Viglione's jazz and hardcore-influenced drumming and creative percussion are the perfect foil, providing in turns a delicate cradle of rhythm and a piercing bed of nails onto which Palmer lays her raw, tragicomic lyrics.

The release of their debut album The Dresden Dolls, produced by Martin Bisi (Swans, Sonic Youth), has won the band accolades from both mainstream and underground media, and it appears that the Dolls are poised to transcend cult status and smash all commonly held ideas about what a rock band is supposed to be. Their awe-striking live energy and singular look has earned them opening slots for Nine Inch Nails, Beck, the B-52s, Jane's Addiction, OK Go and Panic! At the Disco, a tour with the Legendary Pink Dots, and a victory in the 2003 WBCN Rock and Roll Rumble.

Their second album Yes, Virginia was released in 2006, eventually followed by a companion record No, Virginia in 2008, which features b-sides and out-takes from the "Yes, Virginia" sessions, as well as a smattering of new tracks.

At the end of summer 2008 they announced a hiatus. The band has made further announcements saying they will reunite when the time is right for both of them, and have stressed they have not broken up.

In September 2008, rumors began to circulate about the future of the whole band. Viglione confirmed that the band is currently on hiatus but emphasized that he and Palmer are on good terms and that they will get together again when it feels right for both of them. In late July and early August 2009, a rumor began to spread that the band was "reuniting for performances in 2010" but Palmer clarified in her blog on August 7: "There's been a ton of press lately re-printing an old quote from an old interview that's now blown up into a full-fledged press rumour that Brian and I have planned Dresden Dolls' shows for 2010. Not true. We aren't planning any shows. Sorry about that, blame the gossip whores."

In 2010, a reunion tour to selected venues in the United States occurred. It started on Halloween in New York City and ended in San Francisco on New Years Eve.

The Dresden Dolls played a show in Mexico City on 9 December 2011. They had a tour of New Zealand and Australia in early 2012, supported by The Jane Austen Argument and The Bedroom Philosopher.

Coin-Operated Boy
The Dresden Dolls Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Love without complications galore

Many shapes and weights to chose from
I will never leave my bedroom
I will never cry at night again
Wrap my arms around him and pretend

Coin operated boy
All the other real ones that I destroy
Cannot hold a candle to my new boy
And I'll never let him go

And I'll never be alone
And I'll never let him go
And I'll never be alone, go
And I'll never be alone, go

And I'll never be alone, go
And I'll never be alone, go
And I'll never be alone
Not with my coin operated boy

This bridge was written to make you feel smitten
And with my sad picture of girl getting bitterer
Oh, can you extract me from my plastic fantasy
I didn't think so but I'm still convincible

Oh will you persist even after I bet you a million dollars
That I'll never love you and will you persist even after I kiss you
Goodbye for the last time will you be trying to prove it, I'm dying
To lose it, I'm losing my confidence

I want it, I want it, I want it, I want it
I want to, I want to, I want to, I want to
I want you, I want you, I want you, I want you
I want a, I want a, I want a, I want a coin operated boy

And if I had a star to wish on for my life
I can't imagine any flesh and blood could be this match
I can even take him in the bath
Coin operated boy, he may not be real experienced with girls

But I know, he feels like a boy should feel, isn't that the point
That is why I want a coin operated boy
With a pretty coin operated voice saying
That he loves me, that he's thinking of me

Straight and to the point that is why
I want a coin operated boy

Overall Meaning

The Dresden Dolls' "Coin-Operated Boy" is a song about the singer's desire for a perfect, uncomplicated relationship with a lover who can fulfill her needs without creating any emotional baggage. In the song, she describes a "coin-operated boy" who is a plastic, elastic toy that can be turned on with a coin and provides her with automatic joy. She contrasts this type of relationship with real-life partners who create complications and emotional pain. The bridge in the song features her plea to be rescued from her "plastic fantasy," although she admits that she is still "convincible" that her dream could come true.

Throughout the song, the singer uses a playful, ironic tone to describe her ideal lover. She states that the toy is "rugged and long lasting" and provides her with love "without complications galore." She also describes the toy's physical characteristics, stating that there are "many shapes and weights to choose from." However, despite her desire for this type of relationship, the singer recognizes the impossibility of it. At the end of the song, she admits that the toy may not be experienced with girls, but he still doesn't create any emotional complications, which is ultimately what she desires.

Line by Line Meaning

Coin operated boy, sitting on the shelf
There's a toy on the shelf that can only be operated with coins

He is just a toy but I turn him on and he comes to life
Once I put a coin in, the toy comes to life

Automatic joy that is why I want
It makes me happy automatically, that's why I want it

A coin operated boy
I want a toy that requires coins to function

Made of plastic and elastic
The toy is made of plastic and is stretchy

He is rugged and long lasting
The toy is sturdy and durable

Who could ever ever ask for more?
There's nothing more one could want from a toy like this

Love without complications galore
This toy provides love without any complications

Many shapes and weights to choose from
There are different versions of the toy with various shapes and weights

I will never leave my bedroom
I'll only use this toy in the privacy of my own bedroom

I will never cry at night again
This toy will bring me so much joy that I won't need to cry at night anymore

Wrap my arms around him and pretend
I can hug and pretend that this toy is real

All the other real ones that I destroy
I destroy relationships with real people because they can't compare to this toy

Cannot hold a candle to my new boy
The toy is so much better than real people

And I'll never let him go
I'll never get rid of this toy

And I'll never be alone
As long as I have this toy, I won't be lonely

This bridge was written to make you feel smitten
This part of the song is meant to make the listener feel in love with the idea of the toy

And with my sad picture of girl getting bitterer
The image of a sad girl becoming increasingly bitter adds to the idea that the toy is the solution to her problems

Oh, can you extract me from my plastic fantasy
Can anyone help me snap out of this fantasy world I've created?

I didn't think so but I'm still convincible
I don't think anyone can help me, but I'm still open to changing my mind

Oh will you persist even after I bet you a million dollars
Will you still try to change my mind even if I make a bet you can't win?

That I'll never love you and will you persist even after I kiss you
Even if I kiss you, will you still try to make me see the truth?

Goodbye for the last time will you be trying to prove it, I'm dying
Even as I say goodbye, will you still try to convince me that this toy isn't the answer?

To lose it, I'm losing my confidence
I'm unsure of what I really want

I want it, I want it, I want it, I want it
I really want this toy

I want to, I want to, I want to, I want to
I really want to have this kind of love without complications

I want you, I want you, I want you, I want you
I want the toy so much, it's like I'm talking to it directly

I want a, I want a, I want a, I want a coin operated boy
I really want a toy like this that requires coins to work

And if I had a star to wish on for my life
If I could make one wish for my life

I can't imagine any flesh and blood could be this match
I can't imagine any real person being the perfect match for me like this toy is

I can even take him in the bath
I can even bring the toy with me when I take a bath

Coin operated boy, he may not be real experienced with girls
The toy may not have experience with real girls

But I know, he feels like a boy should feel, isn't that the point
But the toy still feels like the love and affection that a boy should provide, which is the main point

That is why I want a coin operated boy
This is why I want a toy like this

With a pretty coin operated voice saying
The toy has a nice voice that is operated by coins

That he loves me, that he's thinking of me
The toy says things that make me feel loved and thought of

Straight and to the point that is why
The toy's love is straightforward and simple, which is why

I want a coin operated boy
I want this kind of love without complications

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Amanda Palmer

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@alejandraantonietta4922

1y↑29

Coin operated boy, sitting on the shelf
He is just a toy but I turn him on and he comes to life
Automatic joy that is why I want
A coin operated boy

Made of plastic and elastic
He is rugged and long lasting
Who could ever ever ask for more?
Love without complications galore

Many shapes and weights to chose from
I will never leave my bedroom
I will never cry at night again
Wrap my arms around him and pretend

Coin operated boy
All the other real ones that I destroy
Cannot hold a candle to my new boy
And I'll never let him go

And I'll never be alone
And I'll never let him go
And I'll never be alone, go
And I'll never be alone, go

And I'll never be alone, go
And I'll never be alone, go
And I'll never be alone
Not with my coin operated boy

This bridge was written to make you feel smitten
And with my sad picture of girl getting bitterer
Oh, can you extract me from my plastic fantasy
I didn't think so but I'm still convincible

Oh will you persist even after I bet you a million dollars
That I'll never love you and will you persist even after I kiss you
Goodbye for the last time will you be trying to prove it, I'm dying
To lose it, I'm losing my confidence

I want it, I want it, I want it, I want it
I want to, I want to, I want to, I want to
I want you, I want you, I want you, I want you
I want a, I want a, I want a, I want a coin operated boy

And if I had a star to wish on for my life
I can't imagine any flesh and blood could be this match
I can even take him in the bath
Coin operated boy, he may not be real experienced with girls

But I know, he feels like a boy should feel, isn't that the point
That is why I want a coin operated boy
With a pretty coin operated voice saying
That he loves me, that he's thinking of me
Straight and to the point that is why
I want a coin operated boy

All comments from YouTube:

@AquaMist103

3y↑1.2K

My mom used to listen to this song all the time as I was growing up and I always found it "annoying". She passed away three years ago, and now as a grown adult going back to this song, it breaks my heart because I now know that she was just lonely and fed up with all the abusive relationships she was in as a single parent raising me. 😔

@tylerwatson8067

2y↑48

ur mom was rlly rlly kool

@tracyvick2414

2y↑10

So sad my friend 🥺

@MiguelRodriguez-hv9rv

2y↑9

My condolences 😓❤⚘

@Marie._._ARISTOCATS

2y↑4

oh no im so sorry!

@fletcherc6585

So sorry for your loss I just lost my uncle just past he used to play this as a joke I also thought it was annoying but now it brings so much nostalgia I miss that f**ker

19 More Replies...

@jmo5476

4y↑900

I literally just randomly started singing this song while doing laundry and I stopped and had a moment of shock because I haven’t thought or heard of this song in a literal decade if not more.

@BikePackingPleb

3y↑9

I had to re-listen to it after a doja cat interview with nardwuar.

@sbalogh53

2y↑7

The song has been rattling around in my head the past day but I could not remember the exact words. I forgot the "Coin" part and thinking "Boy Operated Toy", "Toy Operated Boy" ??? Had to look it up again.

@larrywoodhouse4503

2y↑1

Literally same

@sircolt8184

Same here. You know what this means.

@kruddy3627

2y↑2

@BikePackingPleb lol same. this was a local hit in boston

12 More Replies...

@tadamori

4y↑843

This is a song about a woman who desperately wants to find true love and companionship but who is terrified by the idea of being with a real, flawed person and experiencing the pain that comes along with it. All the other ones are guys who have been with her who she rejected because they turned out to be real, flawed dudes. I think the coin-operated boy in the video is a fantasy but also could be someone she has found who is willing to play the part of the idealized fantasy image she has in her head. This person is willing to exist co-dependently in the relationship while sacrificing their own sense of self and their own human, emotional needs. The sad irony is that, while they are in a relationship together, emotionally, they are both alone and isolated. trapped in a miserable, loveless relationship based on an impossible fantasy.

@ashfrodesen9126

4y↑38

Ah man. You just nailed my last relationship on the head. I tried so hard to be perfect for ten years, giving up all of my boundaries in the process... then, of course, I failed to sustain that effort, and failed spectacularly, just the worst. When I tried to rebuild our relationship (confusing friendship at this point) after the fall-out, I started working on my boundaries, and it pushed them away, like I was always afraid it would. But it makes sense, as so much of our relationship was built on my unsustainable codependency. If I had worked harder on those boundaries before I broke, maybe we could have worked it out.

Moral of the story, don’t wish for, or be, a coin operated boy.

@heathero6884

3y↑13

My ex said this was my song about me just wanting a coin operated boy. All I wanted was for him to be happy we were going to have a baby not happy that I miscarried. Post partum was real and he no longer felt like my person but a stranger.

@cinthyaromero2899

3y↑2

You just described me

@harambe1331

3y↑6

The song is mostly about the feeling, not literally wanting a plastic boy.

It just sucks being so heartbroken and being at a point where you want a coin operated boy, and the realization that you're miserable. It's all about the sad state and deepness of your own misery and how you got there, everything else comes second to that.

@VanitasCore

No nigga. It's about masturbation.

8 More Replies...

@dafiltafish

7y↑2.8K

I have a feeling a lot of people don't realize how sad this song is.

@lifeis182

6y↑11

Harrison Hedge your right

@lifeis182

6y↑14

Harrison Hedge the point of the song.....

@buklau1312

5y↑74

I know right...poor boy gotta be with this high maintenance girl

@BeartoeConCarne

5y↑164

i thought the song was about dildos

@vampirexion

5y↑58

I do. And it brought tears to my eyes. Everyone thinks only about the sex part.

49 More Replies...

@debbievancb7671

7y↑410

I used to listen to this song every day and watch the video with it. It has been almost 8 or 9 years I think since I heard/saw it but as soon as it played I remembered every word she sings and every detail in this video. I also remember their website was like a doll-house and you could explore all the rooms. Oh nostalgia... I wish I was 16 again

@mattheww885

5y↑16

Dude, same.
I haven't listened to Amanda Palmer/The Dresden Dolls in YEARS but the minute I went on this kick I was like, "oh shit I'm 16 again", instantly remembered all the lyrics and all the places I was when I was listening to this on repeat on my iPod shuffle. Nostalgia tripped HARD.

@sloopymoosadjob2358

5y↑3

Debbie vancb me too deb , me too

@Shuan1227

4y↑2

Same!!! Everyone talking about Dave. I mean, it’s great! Brings new audience but the intro doesn’t remind of gfdi Dave it’s the other way around. It brought me back here...to my past.

@taylorm7777

2y↑1

Same girl same

@R.I.P-Geno-Cultshit

6y↑18

I was at a bar a few weeks ago and a girl sang this for karaoke and I fell absolutely in love with it. I'm glad I was there to hear it.

@joblow6409

9y↑1.8K

OK, Lets set the record straight I watched an interview with Amanda Palmer she said this is the most mistook song she ever made.
It is NOT about a vibrator or dildo, It is about a girl that wants the "perfect" guy. She knows she will never find one so she builds one so that everything in her little world is what she considers perfection.

End of Story !

@rey12958

8y↑87

+Jo Blow so in other words......a dildo

@flaviuscountry

8y↑17

Thanks for clearing that up. Perfect guys like me haven't been around since Shakespeare. We all done writing so good, it's like "what's the matter"? Supposebly!

@deimoskaischylos

8y↑62

+Jo Blow It is, literally, about a sex toy. That does not, however, mean that the song's meaning involves the sex toy. It is a basic artistic device. The lyrics specifically reference sex toys at multiple points, but you are not meant to think that the song is actually about a sex toy. It is clearly about relationships.

@danielschulz652

7y↑26

By wanting the perfect guy, she's looking for a guy who is her toy, because that's less dangerous than a real relationship. It's kind of the same way boys treat girls or people treat people, when wanting to avoid relationships. So the sex-toy is there, just not the way you want it.

@BlueHazyDreams

7y↑45

Wait, how does anyone miss this? The intended interpretation is even closer to the literal meaning of the song than that interpretation.

58 More Replies...

@rachaelfletcher4747

2y↑21

I have only just found this amazing group and this song just blows my mind, so relatable. Amanda Palmer is amazing.

@carcinogeneticicist

This song is ab a vibrator lol, also te singer is like a super shitty person

@chestersakamoto6843

3y↑34

I absolutely LOVE this song. It wouldn't be out of place in, say, a Turn-of-the-Century Viennese avant-garde theatre or a Weimar-Era Berlin cabaret. Einfach wunderbar! 🤘

@nimsay9690

3y↑294

as someone who likes both this song and the broadway karkat parody i never know which one is gonna play when i hear the opening notes and i sit there waiting in fear and dread until i hear the first sung line

@limebloodedleviathan

2y↑5

Lol me

@adderae

2y↑21

“god fucking dammit dave”

@elizabethlewis8436

2y↑17

Literally me, just anxious to hear the lyrics. I half expect someone to swap the songs half way through, and I always wonder if I’ll hear that damn zipper effect. ☠️

@princerufioh

2y↑4

usually tell from the beginning instrumental does anyone else hear it or is that just me

@OfficialKarkatVantas

god fucking damn it Dave, there goes the last shit that I ever gave

@blackwarb

10y↑125

Amanda is talented beyond belief. What a sad song. I feel it's about building walls after being hurt by someone you loved deeply and being scared to be intimate again. the only way you can deal with intimacy is through your fantasy i.e the 'perfect' man or woman.

@cinnamon853

9y↑11

its a great song but i thought it was about dildos lol

@blackwarb

Dashie Allheart !

@Shinitkun

9y↑1

blackwarb Why did you insult him/her like that.... That was fucked up. I actually thought referenced a dildo/vibrator as well. Haha. And that's okay, music is actually up for interpretation. No need to be a dick to anyone...

@TheXAvantGarde

9y↑1

Shinitkun you're pretty sensitive if you were really offended by his comment

@kuvrut7747

well she is talented thats for sure but.. coins and boys...thats just bitching....

1 More Replies...

@violet807

3y↑59

Excellent song, deep meaning, beautifully acted, photographed and cut! Why have I never heard it before, what year was it introduced?

@Bobbnoxious

3y↑4

2003, released as a single (with this video) in 2004

@UnicyclerTube

14y↑21

I love how the beat is mechanical sounding in parts and winding down toward the end just as you would expect something coin operated to act. Lyrics and rhythm combining to portray the story. Genius! :)

@exibuchay1695

2y↑23

Absolute genius. Amanda is a very special and unique human being.

@davegaultier5283

2y↑18

My wife & I used this for an ice dancing free dance program a few years ago. It was my favorite of all we did.

@alejandraantonietta4922

1y↑29

@HeidiWilde

2y↑4

Wow, I was obsessed with this album when it came out, and for years afterwards, but this is the first time I'm seeing the video! Going to have to run through the whole album now.

@digitalcupcakee

6y↑5

I remember going to see Simple Plan in concert, and The Dresden Dolls were part of the few opening acts. They played one song and Amanda broke her wrist while she was on the keyboard! This was over 10 years ago, and I still love this band!

@barraza5671

11y↑8

This song never gets old for me :)

@djmusicjac

13y↑7

well done amanda, i love that you are keeping WEIMAR GERMAN dark Kabarett music very much alive, i am sure you will be winning some prestigious music awards, grammies, oscars, very soon with your songs

@breegray2062

9y↑4

Still one of my most favorite music videos ever.. ❤

@d.grigsby8211

5y↑5

A genius song! Great from beginning to end and has guts!
Don't over analyze it; it means what it means to you. No need to explain.
Amanda Palmer is one of the Real Deals!

@kyrastube

11y↑9

this song makes me both happy and sad at the same time. its just amazing. I can relate very much to the lyrics. and the last moments of the video where amanda looks like she is about to start crying and brian strokes her face. so beautiful! this is ART!

@storyallegory

6y↑125

Damn, if I were a teacher I would totally show this to my students, because it's a great point of discussion. You'd find out a lot about a person based on their reaction to this song/video.

@SweetMofoDealz

4y↑6

when I was in grade 7 we had a "burned cd" and the teacher downloaded alot of songs for all of us to listen to and it was alot of mainstream music that my fellow classmates suggested, and I remember suggesting this song, because my sister was 6 yrs older then me and I liked her music but my teacher and all the students laughed at this song and made me feel humiliated, I wouldn't even admit when the teacher asked who suggested the horrid song, ......

@alexandriariley9565

45w↑1

I have a feeling you'll get very different responses based on gender; men will echo a lot of the comments here whereas women will likely give a more nuanced explanation where the woman is sick and tired of emotionally or physically abusive men and is willing to push real relationships away because she no longer believes that it's possible to have a genuine relationship with a man, but still has the slightest bit of hope

@storyallegory

44w

⁠Currently ending the 16 year relationship I was (subconsciously?) referring to 5 years ago when I posted that. Can attest it doesn’t last and leaves you very hollow.

@chrystianmorenogarcia9662

4y↑3

Espero ya regresen, una banda que mereció tener mas fans!!! Los creadores del rock de cabaret! Merecen un nuevo disco

@nottoday2233

4y↑33

This song has been so misunderstood lol but remains one of my favorite songs to cure my depression. And I’m a guy lol. This song is more deep than people realize

@nevereverstopsinging

4y↑3

What Do you think the meaning is?

@opwave79

5y↑3

This song is even more brilliant when you watch it performed live.

@atxatxatxatx

15w↑1

Saw these two play at roskilde festival in '05. It was incredible and that dude is an amazing drummer.

@kx2733

9y↑6

I did competitive dance for 10 years and a dance academy competing against us did a routine to this song. It was stuck in my head for weeks! xD

@gabriel-de8yv

2y↑8

I've been looking for this song ever since I heard it on the radio as a kid. What a haunting tune.

@aprilsongstress

9y↑8

I love this song. The video is great too. I just started reading Amanda's book "The Art of Asking" & it made me think I had missed something. Boy did I ever.

@LauraMorland

Check out her patreon... she publishes something new and fascinating once a week (or more often): https://www.patreon.com/amandapalmer

@literallyasuka2996

7y↑404

If you find this song relatable you'll understand that if you're needy for love enough, you'll invent your very own boyfriend.
If you can't relate with this song, you'll think it's about a vibrator.

@rachelfourie9083

5y↑4

Roger Goremän probably guys who think this is about a vibrator

@rachelfourie9083

5y↑4

I don’t relate but I still understand the song

@heradow4672

4y↑2

I'm a boy but I don't think this song is about a dildo

@-csotanypure-5106

@Smokey Beaure respekt

@icydec3346

3y↑6

I just played the mission in cyberpunk, so I thought of a vending machine.

6 More Replies...

@carolinamurtha3102

3y↑2

Omg, I haven’t heard this song in so long. I don’t even remember why I came across it but I love it, it’s so much fun to sing! 😄.

@cocoscoffee5921

8y↑1.6K

The song is about loneliness. I think you may be missing the point if you think it is about her wanting a sex doll.

@andrewrussell3318

6y↑27

Could be about both.

@rachelfourie9083

5y↑31

Dream Delirium I get so irritated that people think this song is simply nothing more than about a dildo

@StonedWhiteTrash

5y↑31

Ichiban Suzuki
I'm pretty sure this is about her having bad relationships and her wanting decent, regular sex without the bullshit that comes from dating.
If it was about loneliness it wouldn't have such obvious sexual innuendos.

@MrOvergryph

5y↑6

Loneliness? I have a masculine perspective on this song, paying VERY CLOSE ATTENTION to 3:14 where she mentions how she wants her coin operated boy to have "a pretty coin-operated voice, saying [blah blah]" and in my male brain all I can think that means is she wants to hear nothing from her perfect boy unless she puts in a coin first. There is no way that lyric means anything else beside that. I cannot unthink it, and now neither can you. This song is sexist. Funny, though, that if you replaced "boy" with "person" and didn't give it a gender, it's a perfectly non-sexist song. Or is it?

@smolson8471

5y↑44

MrOvergryph “and in my male brain all I can think that means is she wants to hear nothing from her perfect boy unless she puts a coin in first.” Honey, what does that even mean? Perhaps I’m not “male” or “sexual” enough as to see what, probably far fetched, conclusion you’re implying.

22 More Replies...

@OctoSideStorytellers

11y↑2

Genius! A massive influence for our songs! Pity we never saw them live!

@LauraMorland

They are planning to tour again before too long! (Would have already, except: pandémic.)

@kellydarlin7083

2y↑5

I grew up with this song and to this day I come back just to remember how many times my sister sung this song to me when I was three

@micathegreat1

14y↑19

i love this song...its about wanting to have someone who is always there for you, always faithful, and always loving you...without all the little arguments and complications that come with relationships

@joshuahoward6845

These guys are in my top 5 best concerts I’ve ever been to. Really want to see them again now they’re sorta reunited

@69kumquat

7y↑3

This song is pure genius. Pure art. Beautiful.

@mookwilkinson7608

8y↑1

couldn't stop laughing when i first heard this song!! still love it. my other half went to see them live and said they were awesome. apparently everyone in the audience sat down cross legged through the entire show after amanda got on stage and stared at the audience!!

@TeddehSpaghetti

10y

So many good memories of jamming this song and hopping around to various thrift stores and enjoying the last couple summer vacations I had as a late teenager.

@gloriap3531

4y↑2

I’ve had this song stuck in my head all day and the doll is what triggered my memory 😂😂😂

@ezozione

4y↑15

this is one of the only songs I've ever heard that voices all my worries and feelings about relationships. about having such an idealized vision that real, flawed people are written off, and having an eternal sense of "it just wasn't meant to be".

outside of romantic relationships, like in everyday life and friendships I'm so utterly non-judgemental and open, it's almost ridiculous... it's like my brain makes up for it by having relationship standards that are way too high.

ok ramble over

@alexandriariley9565

45w

Also known as: lesbian relationships tend not to be abusive anywhere near as often

@gilbertcarter3264

9y↑1

Love it! Unique and humorous...catchy show tune of musical talent and lyric!

@SotiCoto

18w

This is such a unique and memorable song. I'm not even sure if I like it or not, but I couldn't possibly forget it. I know of nothing else like it.

@petertocher6845

Despite the hidden sadness, what an utterly joyful song ! Filmed and edited to perfection. I could show this to my Granny and she would clap.

@notsonegative1736

4y↑1

I used it to be so obsessed with this song!! Ughh, the MEMORIES!!

@Fireyphoenix67

Eight years. And I'm sitting in my living room and BOOM! It's stuck in my head and I have to listen to it. Go Amanda Palmer!

@deltaylor6393

3y↑14

to me, this song is about someone who is so done with "love" and the complications that go with it that they would rather deal with something simpler... something that doesn't involve feelings or other complications. it might not amount to "love" but it is so much easier.

@fireball343

11y

Her voice always gives me shivers <3

@jonathanhughes9281

Wow, blew me away hearing this gorgeous masterpiece. I love it. Thanks 🙂

@slantedterror

1y↑3

The last line “I want a coin operated boy with a pretty coin operated voice saying that he loves me and he’s thinking of me straight and to the point that is why I want a coin operated boy” always gets so me 😭

@eniaferlore

13y↑1

amo la pasion con que toca el la bateria, me fascina. el video esta genial, la parte de la bañera y el final me encantaron

@MrSteveandjewels

8y↑1

I love the music, I love her, and I love this song! If only life were that simple.

@LauraMorland

Check out her patreon! She is simply amazing. https://www.patreon.com/amandapalmer

@MaggieWoodward

10y↑3

Everytime someone mentions this song I have to listen to it. So good! <3

@Kozm3tiks

Over a decade later and I can't believe that I've forgotten about this awesome song!!!!

@moralabsolutism

14y

absolutely unique, the dresden dolls are amazing

@robbisSMACKD

41w

i remember seeing them open up for panic at the disco in ny yeeeeears ago! Can;t believe looking back that they got boo'd the hell off the stage when they played this song,.This song always stuck with me! Such a good composed song overall!

@blackwarb

11y↑1

Just an amazing amazing song writer! Thank you Amanda

@parlyricklarsen5048

Walked in on this band playing at Roskilde in 2007 or 2008, they fucking BLEW MY MIND !! A visceral live show with emotion and over-the-top antics galore ! What a rush it was.

@SithCats

4y↑17

Do you ever suddenly remember a song that you really didn't like but haven't heard for a long time, and you think "I should listen to that again, see if it's any different than I remember?"
Yeah, that was me with this song. Still not my jam, and that's fine. Y'all have fun and enjoy it.
Just wondering if that happens to anyone else, or if I'm just a weirdo.

@-csotanypure-5106

I do this with dresden dolls every half a year. And im getting step by step closer to actually liking their music bc I can tell the lyrics and the atmosphere is quite me the only thing that bothers me is the low sound quality and incomprehensible noises 😅.

@eidothea

Me here! But I like delving into the meaning of the song

@longlivethedrama

14y↑2

love it, love it, love it. Love it.

@brittanystack6413

40w

I love this song. I'm happy to see it still on YouTube. First time I heard this song, someone had made a "music video" for this song but used clips from Edward Scissorhands. It was back in 2007 at the dawn of YouTube. I don't know why, but this song still puts me in my feels. After reading some comments, I can agree that I'm saddened by this song because of the melancholy and relatable topic.

@bluegummybear8667

7y↑1

amanda has such a cool unique voice i love her so much

@dylacat

51w

Always brings a smile to my face. 🖤

@michelemiller6158

Ive been listening to the blues for over an hour, I need this song to lighten my mood.

@temporary989

6y↑23

This song hits me real hard!
And people thinking that it's about sex toys makes me sad.

@rachelfourie9083

5y↑1

Tenar tbh it can interpreted that way, but what people don’t get is that it’s so much deeper than that (no pun intended)

@addison1977

10y↑1

I've always love this song, only just found this clip though. Loved it!

@coinoperatedjoy8748

11y↑1

This song is why I'm CoinOperatedJoy. Love it!

@alicelazarus5475

3y↑1

My sister put me on to this song when I was 14. I'm now 25 still bumping

@johnhayburn

10y

i love this song! ^,^ first time seeing the official video, glad i looked it up!

@Reimodo2

2y↑1

NO ESCUCHABA ESTA CANCIÓN HACE 10 AÑOS 👁️👄👁️✨ RECUERDOS DESBLOQUEADOS

@SonjaPond

10y↑1.9K

I'm fairly certain that the song is NOT meant to be an objectification of men. The song is about wanting a 'perfect' relationship with the 'perfect' partner. But people aren't perfect and a "coin operated boy" would be, by definition, 'perfect' but he wouldn't be real.

@giraple

5y↑39

@Venom Supreme I think they mean by her definition, which is what the song is saying the entire time. According to her definition of a perfect relationship, no flesh and blood could be his match. Yet she obviously isn't happy.

@puddintanejingleheimerschm9389

5y↑11

@Tommy Hass they would be wrong then too.

@carmenishere

4y↑8

Reminds me of the Black Mirror episode "Be Right Back"

@pinkpugginz

4y↑7

Phh theres no such thing as objectification of men

@MrSafety1138

4y↑43

Pretty sure its just about a dildo man

41 More Replies...

@gomezy3k

13y↑2

Amanda is awesome... Love the Dolls... Saw them in concert and after got to talk to her for a while.. Very nice people...

@falconfire1379

13y↑2

I think this is not about loneliness, but more her frustration with the complications of love and how much simpler a plastic boyfriend would be. My boys know to tread lightly with me if I ever start listening to this song on repeat. XD

@KB-fk3jj

1y↑1

This was one but not only one of my Ma's favourite songs, she just needed a rock among a vast ocean. Bless her heart

@NegativePleasure

12y↑1

I love this song!

@Pauldjreadman

Quality beyond this planets measurements. I never knew they were on Roadrunner Records? Nice. I would buy this on vinyl.

@BaskenmannZwei

2y↑11

I have a feeling that a lot of people think that a lot of people don't realize how sad this song is to make them feel unique which they aren't because they can only feel individualistic in a collective.

@Tardisblue14

10y

I love this song so much, I can't even explain it

@johnl.harmon7770

Absolutely fantastic!

@eryssalara8555

Oh gosh I haven’t heard this song since I was in middle school...such a great song still.

@mcrfreak94

13y

She's gorgeous without make-up <3 And I love her eyebrow tattoos. Normally if I heard someone did that I would think they're crazy and it would look horrible but it suits her very well. :3

@user-qt9vn1yj8x

2y↑2

Timeless classic.

@simon3628

2y↑16

What a great song! Hope it doesnt get a parody based of a webcomic whereas a troll is doing the self pleasure thinking about a human.

@Illusionista-p

2y↑2

Oh god

@Raylen_Fa-ield

2y↑3

Did this happen, seems odly specific

@Illusionista-p

2y↑2

@Raylen Fa'ield LMFAOO

@simon3628

2y↑4

@Raylen Fa'ield Let me tell you about homes-

@OfficialKarkatVantas

1y↑1

GAMZEE? WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU AND CAPTOR HERE?

@violeta240

11y↑1

I really love this song! When I first listened to Coin Operated Goi by Voltaire I kept hearing these lyrics now it's the other way around They are messing with my brain!!!

@L330ne

Heard this on FIT radio this morning and it made my whole day. I'm a middled age dude and I get it. Awesome 👍

@christhayil8354

3y↑1

One of the greatest songs written in the last 20 years....that no one has heard! As well as written by one of the best songwriters of the last 20 years in Amanda Palmer....who no one has heard of!

@LauraMorland

Well, she's à little more famous than that ! But for that great comment I'll share with you à powerful song she performed in New Zealand à few months ago. It's practically à Covid anthém, but she has only released it on her Patreon thus far : https://youtu.be/1An19HhhNvw

@SchneiderAndAndropov

8y↑1

I've always loved this song

@thepurpleboss1

a group at my dance studio did a dance to this song in 2009 and a lot of it was cut out to fit a 2 minute time mark for competition. I had never heard the full song until today! i think i like the condensed version better

@Spitzick

5y↑8

People don’t realise how depressing and true this song is. Everyone can relate to this, woman or man. We all just want true love and happiness, but often we can’t achieve it. You’ll never be able to have a true perfect love, no one is perfect and it is okay to be sad about it. It’s okay. It isn’t just you.

@alexandriariley9565

45w

Yeah no most women will have a VERY different take; our typical interpretation will be one of the singer being jaded, and no longer trusting men to not be emotionally and/or physically abusive; there's a huge difference between wanting true love (which a coin operated boy has no hope of fulfilling) and just wanting someone who won't abuse you

@Spitzick

43w

@@alexandriariley9565 i was preyed on as a kid by a woman, i think i got the right to still give my interpritation of the song and realise all that, especially considering im a trans guy and im sure as hell not ignorant to that shit. you don't know who youre writing out a passive aggressive paragraph to, you assuming dickweed.

@EllieM_Travels

17w

In the lyrics is says all the other boys she destroys, making me think maybe she’s bipolar or borderline, maybe some kind of mental illness or depression, not able to find anyone who can accept her and stay with her as she is.

@mansonkam

13y

Awesome video, amazing song, sung in an old-school dark carnival version, it hooks you, and yes, every woman can relate at SOME point in her life, like a backwards version of the stepford wives. Right?

@nosaints88

9y↑1

I saw this music video several years ago and thought it was pretty strange. I still think so but its not the worst song ever it's sort of catchy

@goddessmelania

So love this song!!!

@soupwifey

This is one of my new favorite songs.

@debbiemitchell6055

6y↑4

One of my favorite songs, reminds me of Tapestry by Carole King and Cinderella all the fairy tales we were taught as little girls. But must say later learn no mess no fuss, without a man!